The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 20, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 26, 1999
Richard C. Lanza, Brookline, MA (US);
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
This invention provides coded aperture imaging apparatus and methods for the detection and imaging of radiation which results from nuclear interrogation of a target object. The apparatus includes: 1) a radiation detector for detecting at least a portion of the radiation emitted by the object in response to nuclear excitation and for producing detection signals responsive to the radiation; 2) a coded aperture disposed between the detector and the object such that emitted radiation is detected by the detector after passage through the coded aperture; and 3) a data processor for characterizing the object based upon the detection signals from the detector and upon the configuration of the coded aperture. The method includes the steps of: 1) disposing a coded aperture in selected proximity to the object; 2) bombarding the object with a interrogation beam from a source of excitation energy; 3) detecting, with a detector, at least a portion of the radiation emitted in response to the interrogation beam, the detector producing detection signals responsive to the radiation, the detector being disposed so that the coded aperture is between the detector and the object and such that emitted radiation is detected by the detector after passage through the coded aperture; and 4) processing the detection signals to characterize the object based upon radiation detected by the detector after passage through the coded aperture, and based upon the configuration of the coded aperture.